Wednesday was big. Today was huge. I've been hitting it so hard. I am so, so sore today, and have been since Wednesday's session. The deadlifts really took it out of me, and despite rollin out for days I'm still sore. I'm sure it's a good idea to only hit deads 1x/week so that I can go really heavy and then recover, but I still miss deadlifting with higher volume. Oh well, I'm gettin stronger and that's what's important. I gotta trust the process.

New PRs this week for 3RM on squat and barbell rows. Press is feeling really strong, I know I'm getting better on it.

Wednesday's Session

Squats10x45lbs5x90lbs5x110lbs2x5x135lbs

Incline Bench8x45lbs8x55lbs8x70lbs8x80lbs6x85lbs (shot for 8 and had to dump this one, but still happy with it, much improvement being made)

Deadlift5x155lbs5x175lbs5x205lbs5x235lbs

Crunch Machine3x20x65lbs

Friday's Session

Squat2x10x45lbs (2 sets, one back squat and one front squat while I waited for the rack to open up)5x90lbs5x110lbs5x130lbs5x155lbs3x180lbs (hit parallel, so pleased, new PR!!)8x145lbs

Bench Press8x50lbs8x60lbs8x70lbs8x80lbs4x90lbs (was shooting for 5, but without a spotter didn't want to chance the fifth. still progress!)10x75lbs

Had kind of a shitty session today. Not entirely sure why, but I suppose if I have one off day when most of my days feel spot on, I should just feel happy about it. Haven't slept super well the past few nights, that probably has some effect. Oh well, went as hard as I could and I'll be back in Friday to smash some more. Went for the 5x5 with press today, and I might go back to that rather than the 5x8 that I've been running. It felt good, and I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable with weight over head so I think I'll be better equipped to handle heavier, lower rep sets now.Deadlift warm up sets felt really good, but the last set was a rough one. I hit the first three reps with a little difficulty, but the fourth rep I broke off the ground and couldn't lock out. I've never had an issue of locking out after breaking the weight, every time I've previously failed a deadlift was due to not being able to break the weight off the ground. Of course I'll revisit 5x240lbs next week, hopefully with a better session goin. Also, I still hate doing ab work.

I've decided to do more accessories in higher rep schemes at the end of my 5x5 (really, 3x5?) lifts for the day. I had been doing some, but I'm going to do more. I'm going to get so fucking big. Weight stable at 135lbs. Pulled back from my intended 5x180lb squats and hit 5x175lbs to at least an inch below parallel instead, because I had to hit them last and my back was already a little tired from rows. I don't want to be dumb and throw myself out of the game on some pride shit, so I was smart about it. The reason I had to squat last was because once again there was someone pressing in the squat rack. I'm so sick of the bodybuilding gym, my motivation to get in there and just do work despite all the assholery around me is fueled by all these serious gains I've been makin lately. I want my own backyard gym so bad I can taste it.

I AM HUGE AND BEASTLY AND UNSTOPPABLE AND I WILL EAT ALL OF THE OREOS AND NOT CARE ABOUT MY BODYFAT ARRRRGH!!(translation: I conquered the 5x240lb deadlift that I missed last week and now I will eat all of the things)

Deadlift5x65lbs5x155lbs5x180lbs5x210lbs5x240lbs (vid at the bottom)

Incline Press (missed my last set completely, probably overexerted myself on DLs but I don't caaaare)5x60lbs5x70lbs5x80lbs1x95lbs

Squat10x45lbs5x95lbs5x115lbs5x135lbs5x145lbs (added an extra 10lbs whoops not following the program but I'm gettin strong and I just wanted to)

Crunch Machine3x15x70lbs (superset with...)Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns3x10x72lbs I feel like I've finally trained long enough that I feel exactly where this should be in my Lats, and I can really concentrate on hitting them. Felt really good to hit these at the end of a solid session today.

Last edited by BeansNBroccoli on Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

Haha yeah, weight droppin is the best kind of applause! This is one of the gyms at Northwestern, the one that caters more to bodybuilders and non-strength athletes. My powerlifting gym is closed for the summer It's a nice enough gym for what it is, but it seriously lacks in racks and benches and I dislike using plates with handles for deadlifts... but weights are weights and I'm still gonna pick em up! Really can't wait to be back in a more strength-focused atmosphere, though, I've seen enough 1/4rep squats in the past month to last me a lifetime.

Feelin so beastly lately. I like adding in some bodybuilding stuff at the end of my powerlifting for upper body. I feel pretty huge and awesome. Also realized I probably haven't been eating enough and that's cause for some of my low energy the past week or two. Gotta get in more fuel!!!

Squats5x95lbs5x115lbs5x135lbs5x155lbs4x180lbs (didn't get vid on these, but I felt like I broke lower than usual on my heavy set and I'm 100% pleased.)8x135lbs

Dumbbell Bench5x20lbs5x25lbs5x30lbs5x35lbs7x35lbs (tried and missed with 3x45lbs, but didn't want to completely miss my top set so I repped out 35 instead)8x25lbs